Daycare no child's play
Richmond News
09 May 2008
Letters By: Jennifer Thorne

The Editor,

Re: "Reid sets record straight on daycare," News, Letters, May 9.

Linda, I thank you for responding to all of the bad press your government has been getting lately, but once again, you've neglected to mention just what it is you are doing to address the situation. You recognize that parents are frustrated, and that 'The recent issue with the Hamilton child care project only adds to those frustrations.' That's right Linda, we're fed up with the talk! Throwing money at a bunch of previously unlicensed daycare providers to build playgrounds and get licensed does not create new spots - you give the public too little credit for seeing things the way they really are.

Here's one of the problems. There are very few schools which offer out-of-school care, and those that do often have huge wait lists. The government has cut subsidies to child care providers, so the costs of running a daycare have risen dramatically. There just aren't enough child care workers willing to work for minimum wage, and the schools charge too much for rental space to make the option viable to anyone but a non-profit organization. Since daycare is not part of their mandate, the school board must make money wherever it can. The YMCA was forced to close two out-of-school cares in September 2006 as a result of the rent hike imposed by the school board, but since that was the school boards decision, obviously it's not the ministry's fault. Schools are closing because of lower registration, and other schools must compensate for the overflow. As a result, there are not enough empty classrooms to rent.

But, what if out-of-school care did become part of the mandate? More teachers and ECE qualified staff would be needed. Without the extra cost of facility rental, there would be more in the budget to pay the workers a decent salary. More parents would have access to the care they need, and the schools could utilize the rooms used for out-of-school care, decreasing the need to close schools. Most parents would happily pay for that service, and those that needed a subsidy could apply. …This would ease up the waitlists for licensed group or family daycares, who could then make room for the younger children needing care - increasing the amount of spaces available for the infant and preschool group. …